Republican hate mongers preach that a young first-term Democratic president is somehow illegitimate. They say he is a communist and of the wrong ethnic background and religion. They demonize him with comparisons to Adolf Hitler. Finally, they urge their followers to do almost anything to derail his landmark social legislation.
Of course I’m talking about 1963. Today’s hate-filled, ignorant rhetoric coming from the right serves no legitimate purpose. Isn’t there even one Republican willing to defy the lunatic fringe of their party? Or is this fringe the new GOP base?
Like many Americans, I’m old enough to remember the terrorist act of November 22, 1963 like it was yesterday. My hope is we don’t see this history repeat itself in the very near future.—Bob Smagula, Santa Barbara